MIAMI (CBSMiami) — It’s a been ten years since the last major hurricane hit south Florida but it’s important to always stay prepared because it only takes one. South Florida students are ready if a storm does come our way thanks to a natural disaster simulation.

Fictional Hurricane Carlos was closing in on South Florida. It’s a category 3 with winds topping 130 miles per hour.

Don’t worry! It’s all made-up. It’s an interactive way to prepare the South Florida seventh graders from Shenandoah Middle School on what it would be like if a major hurricane hit.

Much more goes into preparing for a storm than buying water and filling up gas tanks. And that’s what the students learned on Wednesday at the Department of Emergency Management.

“Are folks going to have to be evacuated? That is certainly a concern. Storm surge. What’s the strength of the wind? How much rain?” said Erik Salna from the International Hurricane Research Center.

The students formed their own local government and as a group decided how to deal with the made -up scenarios.

“It’s really helping us with team work and how to depend on other people when we all need help,” said student Yoslynn Perez.

During the simulation, a fake fire broke out in a high school designated as a storm shelter and 1,000 people were waiting to be relocated.

Yoslynn and her group were in charge of transportation.

“Right now we are trying to figure out how many cars do we need and vans do we need to transport the people in the shelter,” said Yoslynn.

Victor Morales was part of the animal rescue operation.

“The animals that escaped. We are to capture them and make sure they are not hurt and return them to their owners,” said Morales.

The hope is that one day the students will be the leaders we turn to in the future if there is a storm.

“When they realize the significance of the roles that organizations play in our community, it opens their eyes to think hmm maybe I want to do that too,” Salna said.

Hurricane season ends November 30th. We are still in the thick of it, so you should stay just as prepared as the students are.